Ashley Madison's review
Last updated: September 14, 2024
Ashley Madison has the appearance of a traditional, modern, dating site, though make no mistake. Ashley Madison is, and always has been, the premier site for men and women seeking an affair while already in a relationship. Whether you call it a ‘discreet rendezvous’ or ‘side booty’ it’s still the same thing. With over 40 million users, the management team at Ashley Madison has made infidelity into a huge business that’s been successful for over 20 years.
Ashley Madison’s layout and features are sleek and easy to use, once you get through the relatively involved signup process. And once you understand how to use their credit purchase system, it’s off to the races for finding that special “someone right now.”
Pros
- No monthly fees/traditional subscription
- Sending message is free for females
- Simple and intuitive interface
- 100% secure with discreet information
- Site matches provided to free users
Cons
- Not a big user base, for the ‘under 30 crowd’
- Many profiles have minimal information/no photos
- Not the place to join if you want a relationship
How Ashley Madison Differs from other sites
Ashley Madison’s goal is clear: this site caters to folks looking for a discreet affair while in a current relationship. Virtually every feature on the site appeals to the discreet user who does not want to be ‘found out’ by his or her significant other. Instead of an open community feel, features are targeted towards a very discreet hook-up. You’ll receive messages sent to your inbox with recommendations for specific users the site deems a match, based on your profile settings and geographic location. These prompts are extremely effective in that a user can, at the very least, use them as ice-breakers when reaching out to a potential match.
Most features center around communication and messaging. Users can pay to have your profile and message highlighted when sending messages to possible matches. You can pay to have your profile featured in search results. You can even pay to respond to all messages initiated from matches sent specifically to you, meaning if someone sends you a message, you won’t waste purchased credits when replying to them.
Ashley Madison Main Features
- Proactive matching services
- Intuitive interface
- “Priority Man” paid feature ensuring higher profile visibility
- Priority messages - get displayed at top of the recipient's inbox.
- Traveling feature: matches made when out of town
Ashley Madison: Using the Site
Signing up with Ashley Madison is a bit more involved than other dating sites, though once you’ve filled out the fields (Username, Password, Location, Zip/Postal Code, DOB, Ethnicity), using the site is simple and requires zero learning curve.
Ashley Madison Support
Methods of contact: Email, FAQ
In Ashley Madison’s support section, they blame the removal of phone support due to Covid-19 and the “unprecedented situation the world has found itself in.” While many other dating sites have no problem providing phone support, this begs the question to Ashley Madison’s team as to “what world are you living in?” Other than no phone, there’s email. The Help section is broken down sections for site features, membership & billing, privacy and contact us. Each section contains an FAQ. The FAQ section is extremely helpful and informative and users will most likely find a solution without even having to contact Support.
Ashley Madison Costs
Ashley Madison applies a credit system for users to send and receive messages or acquire full access to photo galleries. To illustrate costs, 500 credits will help you start 55 new conversations. Ashley Madison often offers free bonus credits (doubling your purchase) to new users and unlimited mobile access for a one-time fee of $19.99. Thirty days of free member initiated contact (then $29.99/month) can also be added when purchasing credits.
| Basic | 100 Credits | $59.99 ($0.60 per credit) |
|---|---|---|
| Classic | 500 Credits | $169.99 ($0.34 per credit) |
| Elite | 1000 Credits | $289.99 ($0.29 per credit) |
Ashley Madison Pay Options
Ashley Madison accepts GPay, PayPal payments, prepaid VISA/Mastercard, and other discrete methods based on region. They also redeem major retailer gift cards, allowing users to pay without sharing any personal information at all.